Method and system of using a consumable and a heat source with a weld puddle

Abstract

A system for and a method of controlling a filler wire and/or an heat source is provided. The system includes a high intensity energy source configured to heat at least one workpiece to create a molten puddle on a surface of the at least one workpiece. A filler wire feeder is configured to feed a filler wire into said molten puddle, and a travel direction controller is configured to advance the high intensity energy source and the filler wire in a travel direction to deposit the filler wire on the at least one workpiece. The system also includes a controller configured to move the filler wire and/or the energy source in at least a first direction during the feeding and advancing of the filler wire. At least the first direction is controlled to obtain a desired shape, profile, height, size, or admixture of a bead formed by the molten puddle.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of controlling filler wire, the method comprising:
 heating at least one workpiece with a high energy heat source to create a molten puddle on a surface of said at least one workpiece; 
 feeding a filler wire into said molten puddle; 
 advancing each of said high energy heat source and said filler wire in a travel direction to deposit said filler wire on said at least one workpiece; 
 moving at least one of said filler wire in at least a first direction and said high energy heat source in at least a second direction during said feeding of said filler wire and said advancing of said filler wire and said high energy heat source, where each of said at least first direction and said a least said second direction is different from said travel direction; 
 setting at least one of an angle of entry of said filler wire into said molten puddle with respect to a surface of said molten puddle and an offset of said filler wire with respect to a longitudinal axis of said molten puddle; and 
 controlling at least one of said movement of said filler wire in said at least first direction and said movement of said high energy heat source in said at least second direction with controlling said setting of at least one of said angle and said offset to obtain a desired shape, profile, height, size, or admixture of a bead formed by said molten puddle. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of said movement in said at least first direction and said movement of said high energy heat source in said at least second direction includes at least one of a back and forth motion that is in-line with said travel direction, a back and forth motion that is transverse to said travel direction, a circular motion, an elliptical motion, and a zig-zag motion. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 preheating said filler wire to at or near a melting temperature of said filler wire prior to said filler wire entering said molten puddle. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein said high energy heat source comprises a laser which directs a laser beam onto said at least one workpiece to create said molten puddle. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising scanning at least one of said filler wire and said heat source in a weave pattern. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein said scanning of said at least one of said heat source and said filler wire during said weave pattern includes a dwell time that slows down or pauses the scanning at one or more locations on said weave pattern. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising controlling a wire feed speed of said filler wire to obtain said desired shape, profile, height, size, or admixture of said bead formed by said molten puddle. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 feeding a second filler wire into said molten puddle; 
 advancing said second filler wire in said travel direction to deposit said second filler wire on said at least one workpiece; 
 moving said second filler wire in at least a third direction during said feeding of said second filler wire and said advancing of said second filler wire where said at least third direction is different from said travel direction; and 
 setting at least one of an angle of entry of said second filler wire into said molten puddle with respect to said surface of said molten puddle and an offset of said second filler wire with respect to said longitudinal axis of said molten puddle; 
 wherein said controlling to obtain said desired shape, profile, height, size, or admixture of said bead formed by said molten puddle further comprises controlling said movement of said second filler wire in said at least third direction, and 
 wherein said movement of said second filler wire in said at least third direction includes at least one of a back and forth motion that is in-line with said travel direction, a back and forth motion that is transverse to said travel direction, a circular motion, an elliptical motion, and a zig-zag motion. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising controlling at least one of a first wire feed speed of said filler wire and a second wire feed speed of said second filler wire to affect at least one of a chemistry of said weld puddle and said desired shape, profile, height, size, or admixture of said bead. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said controlling at least one of said movement in said at least first direction and said movement in said at least second direction is synchronized with said controlling of said setting of at least one of said angle and said offset. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said controlling at least one of said movement in said at least first direction and said movement in said at least second direction is independent of said controlling of said setting of at least one of said angle and said offset. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 controlling, based on a feedback from a sensor, at least one of said movement in said at least one direction of said filler wire, said movement in said at least second direction of said high energy heat source, a wire feed speed of said filler wire, a travel speed in said travel direction, an intensity of said high energy heat source, said angle of said filler wire, and said offset of said filler wire. 
 
     
     
       13. A system for controlling a filler wire, the system comprising:
 a high intensity energy source configured to heat at least one workpiece to create a molten puddle on a surface of said at least one workpiece; 
 a filler wire feeder configured to feed a filler wire into said molten puddle; 
 a travel direction controller configured to advance each of said high intensity energy source and said filler wire in a travel direction to deposit said filler wire on said at least one workpiece; and 
 a controller configured to move at least one of said filler wire in at least a first direction and said high intensity energy source in at least a second direction during said feeding of said filler wire and said advancing of said filler wire and said high intensity energy source, where each of said at least first direction and said second direction are is different from said travel direction, 
 wherein said controller is configured to set at least one of an angle of entry of said filler wire into said molten puddle with respect to a surface of said molten puddle and an offset of said filler wire with respect to a longitudinal axis of said molten puddle, and 
 wherein said controller is configured to control at least one of said movement of said filler wire in said at least first direction and said movement of said high intensity energy source in said at least second direction with controlling said setting of at least one of said angle and said offset to obtain a desired shape, profile, height, size, or admixture of a bead formed by said molten puddle. 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , wherein said each of said movement of said filler wire in said at least first direction and said movement of said high intensity energy source in said at least second direction includes at least one of a back and forth motion that is in-line with said travel direction, a back and forth motion that is transverse to said travel direction, a circular motion, an elliptical motion and a zig-zag motion. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a wire power supply configured to preheat said filler wire to at or near a melting temperature of said filler wire prior to said filler wire entering said molten puddle. 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 14 , wherein said high intensity energy source comprises a laser that is configured to direct a laser beam onto said at least one workpiece to create said molten puddle. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 14 , wherein said controller is configured to scan at least one of said filler wire and said high intensity energy source in a weave pattern. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 17 , wherein said scanning of said at least one of said heat source and said filler wire during said weave pattern includes a dwell time that slows down or pauses the scanning at one or more locations on said weave pattern. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 14 , further comprising controlling a wire feed speed of said filler wire to obtain said desired shape, profile, height, size, or said admixture of said bead formed by said molten puddle. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a second filler wire feeder configured to feed a second filler wire to said molten puddle, said travel direction controller further configured to advance said second filler wire in said travel direction to deposit said second filler wire on said at least one workpiece, 
 wherein said controller is configured to move said second filler wire in at least a third direction during said feeding of said second filler wire and said advancing of said second filler wire, where said at least third direction is different from said travel direction, 
 wherein said controller is configured to set at least one of an angle of entry of said second filler wire into said molten puddle with respect to said surface of said molten puddle and an offset of said second filler wire with respect to said longitudinal axis of said molten puddle, 
 wherein said controlling to obtain said desired shape, profile, height, size, or admixture of said bead formed by said molten puddle further comprises controlling said movement of said second filler wire in said at least third direction, and 
 wherein said movement of said second filler wire in said at least third direction includes at least one of a back and forth motion that is in-line with said travel direction, a back and forth motion that is transverse to said travel direction, a circular motion, an elliptical motion, and a zig-zag motion. 
 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 20 , wherein said controller is configured to control at least one of a first wire feed speed of said filler wire and a second wire feed speed of said second filler wire to affect at least one of a chemistry of said weld puddle and said desired shape, profile, height, size, or admixture of said bead. 
     
     
       22. The system of  claim 13 , wherein said controller is configured such that at least one of said movement in said at least first direction and said movement in said at least second direction is synchronized with said controlling of said setting of at least one of said angle and said offset. 
     
     
       23. The system of  claim 13 , wherein said controller is configured such that at least one of said movement in said at least first direction and said movement in said at least second direction is done independently of said controlling od said setting of at least one of said angle and said offset. 
     
     
       24. The system of  claim 13 , further comprising a sensor to provide feedback of a profile of at least one of said molten puddle, said weld bead, a weld joint, and said workpiece,
 wherein, based on said feedback, said controller is configured to control at least one of said movement in said at least one direction, said movement in said at least second direction, a wire feed speed of said filler wire, a travel speed in said travel direction, an intensity of said high intensity energy source, said angle of said filler wire, and said offset of said filler wire. 
 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the weave pattern extends from a first sidewall to a second sidewall opposite the first sidewall of a weld groove that contains the molten puddle. 
     
     
       26. The system of  claim 17 , wherein the weave pattern extends from a first sidewall to a second sidewall opposite the first sidewall of a weld groove that contains the molten puddle.